


Only Scars Remain

by WotanAnubis



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: F/F, Post-Canon, Slice of Life, Trauma, Two People Chatting, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:41:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28955886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WotanAnubis/pseuds/WotanAnubis
Summary: In which Catra and Adora pay a visit to the Fright Zone.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 31





	Only Scars Remain

"Why are we here?"

The Fright Zone stretched out in front of Catra and Adora. Abandoned, falling to rust and ruin, jagged metal stabbing the sky. Crumbling walls and collapsing buildings. Catra could have gone the rest of her entire life without ever going back here.

"I'm not really sure," Adora admitted. "I felt I needed to. Sort of."

"Yeah, me too," said Catra. "Except I would've brought explosives."

Adora's gaze swept the decaying remnants of the Horde. "I don't think that's really necessary."

Catra shrugged. "Don't tell me you wouldn't want to blow this place up anyway. Even if it's not 'necessary'."

"Hmm. Well. I guess."

Adora took a few steps towards the abandoned Zone.

"Coming?"

Catra snarled silently. Maybe to Adora, probably at herself. She wasn't really sure. She'd ruled this place, once. Sort of. Thought she had, anyway. Now...

Her brain was a black, boiling mess, containing so very many memories she'd happily claw out of herself. And most of 'em had to do with the Fright Zone.

"Yeah, yeah," Catra said, following after Adora.

As Catra drew level with her girlfriend, Adora put an arm around her shoulders. The gesture was probably meant to be comforting or something. It was, too. That was the wretched thing about it.

"It'll be fine," said Adora. "Nothing here can hurt you. Or us."

"Sure," Catra said flatly.

As the two walked through empty streets, past broken tanks and empty armours, Catra found herself wrapping her tail around Adora's waist. She hadn't been aware she was doing it until she done it. Adora didn't notice, or pretended not to.

The red sigils of the Horde adorned every decaying surface, faded and damaged by the weather, but still obviously there. It took a lot of effort for Catra not to bare her teeth at them.

"Figured out yet why you needed to be back here again?" Catra snarled.

"Look there," Adora said, pointing up at a large window set in a half-collapsed building. "We used to hang out there a lot, didn't we? Looking out and hoping-"

"Oh, no," said Catra. "No. We are not doing this. We are not digging up some big ol' happy memories. There aren't any. Leave it."

"Yeah, you're right," Adora sighed. "But..."

"No buts about it," Catra insisted. "Ain't nothing good ever came out of here."

"You did."

Catra just stared at Adora. Her lips moved as though she was about to say something, but nothing came. There wasn't anything _to_ say. Nobody could be expected to have a response to something that crazy.

Catra tore herself free from Adora's embrace, unwrapped her tail from her waist.

"Let's just head back already."

Adora's arms snaked around Catra's waist, her head came to rest on Catra's shoulder. Catra didn't particularly want to feel warm and comforted right now, but there was just no resisting Adora's relentless affection.

"Sorry," Adora said.

"Why are you-? Oh, never mind. Forget it."

"Can you do me a favour?" Adora whispered. "Can you look at this place? I mean, _really_ look at it?"

Catra groaned. "What do you want me to say? That this is where we grew close? That we got a couple of good moments here? And then Shadow Weaver always showed up and- And then you- And... and forget it, there's nothing."

"No, I mean, just look at it."

"It's an old building that's falling to pieces. What?"

"It's covered in plants," said Adora.

"What?"

It was true, sure. Weeds and moss and ivy clung to the corroding metal surface. Once, they would've been removed instantly, but now there was nobody left to care.

"OK, so?" said Catra.

"I like it," said Adora. "It's a good sign. Not even the Fright Zone can stop new growth."

"Are you getting metaphorical on me?"

"I don't think so," said Adora. "Well, I mean, maybe. It's just... I guess I just mean the Fright Zone isn't eternal. It's this big green metal wall in my head, you know? Like, it's there and it feels like it's gonna be there forever? But it's not. It's already going and in fifty years or something there'll be trees here and the Fright Zone'll just be gone. So if the real thing's going away, why should the one in my head stay? Does that make sense? I'm not sure that made sense."

"Yeah, it doesn't," said Catra. "But I get what you mean."

"Oh," Adora sighed relieved. "Good."

"But I ain't waiting around for trees to do this place in," Catra said.

"Meaning?" Adora asked.

"Meaning, next time we come back here, I'm bringing explosives," said Catra. She grinned. "Maybe invite along Scorpia. Make a _real_ party out of it."

"Hmm," Adora said. "Yeah, alright. Sounds good."

"Great," Catra announced. "Let's go. Now."

"Yeah, OK," said Adora. "I feel like I'm done here anyway."

The two of them turned and made their way out of the Fright Zone quite a bit faster than they had on their way in. As Catra and Adora strode away from the place, their voices still bounced off the metal walls.

"Hey, you know what? We should invite Sea Hawk as well."

"What? No. Why?"

"Well, if there's one guy who knows how to really set a place on fire, it'd be Sea Hawk."

" _Urgh_. I hate that you're right about that."

"And... you know, maybe we should see if Lonnie and the rest of the old gang want to be there when this place goes up."

"I want it to be party, not an awkward reunion."

"C'mon, I bet it'd be therapeutic."

"I don't want it to be therapeutic, I want it to be explosive."

"It can be both. Trust me."

"OK. OK, fine, yes, let's do it. But not Hordak. I draw the line at Hordak, OK?"

"OK."

"OK."


End file.
